Artur Doppelmayr Dies

Obituary - Ropeway Pioneer Artur Doppelmayr

* September 16, 1922 – † May 12, 2017

Artur Doppelmayr was a pioneer. He was a ropeway builder through and through, and transformed the Doppelmayr company from a workshop operation into an internationally successful industrial enterprise. We mourn the loss of our one-time CEO and chairman.

Artur Doppelmayr, the only son of Emil Doppelmayr, was born in Dornbirn on September 16, 1922. He took over the company reins following his father’s death in 1967. Artur placed a strong emphasis on continuing the tradition of developing and implementing technical innovations that were in tune with the market. In the process, he set many milestones that were to be instrumental in shaping the success of the company. The construction of the first monocable gondola lift with four-passenger cabins in Mellau in the Bregenzerwald region in 1972 was a major event in the company’s history as it paved the way for the success of detachable ropeway technology. The company’s first chairlift based on detachable grip technology was to follow four years later. Further product innovations included the detachable quad chairlift in Breckenridge/Colorado (USA) in 1981, the 8-passenger gondola lift in Steamboat (USA) in 1986, and the 6-seater chairlift near Quebec (Canada) in 1991 – all of them world firsts.Artur Doppelmayr’s drive to expand the export business led to the founding of a whole series of subsidiaries, collaborations and agency agreements outside of Austria. This enabled him to create an international network, which consolidated the company’s market position and secured it for the future.In 1992, Artur’s oldest son, Michael, was appointed as CEO and continued to pursue the same farsighted approach. Artur Doppelmayr stood down from the operational side of the business and in 1994 became chairman of the supervisory board of Doppelmayr Holding AG.The company’s outstanding achievements were not only reflected in the great successes in the international ropeway market, but also recognized by the numerous awards and honors bestowed on Artur Doppelmayr both at home and abroad.As CEO, Artur Doppelmayr always fostered extremely sociable relationships with his employees. We mourn the passing of Artur, who was a role model to us and whose life’s work will always remain a part of our lives.On behalf of all employees and the management of the Doppelmayr Group.